Playground
by Urban Mystic
Summary: Gabriel didn't like to play favorites with his customers, but Sam was an exception. Sam/Gabriel
1. Part I

Gabriel didn't bother to look up when he heard the bell jingle, signaling a customer had just entered the store. Pamela could handle the register and he had more important things to worry about, like if _Casa Erotica 19_ had finished downloading to his laptop.

"Hey Gabe, I think you wanna handle this one." Pamela nudged him.

He was just about to give her his best 'Please share whatever you're smoking because it must be the _really_ good shit' face when he saw where she was looking. He smiled, "Isn't it time for your break?"

"You're going to hell," she laughed and headed into the back room.

She was probably right, the kid was only 16, but it wasn't like Gabriel intended to _do_ anything with him. Sam Winchester was smart and funny and one of the sweetest people Gabriel had ever met. The kind of guy he would've totally mooned over in high school. So what if he kind of had a crush on him?

"Sorry Sam, that expansion pack isn't in yet." Gabriel considered his store to be a specialty shop, one side was stocked with all the latest and greatest video gaming paraphernalia and the other was filled with aisles of enough classic and exotic candy to give you diabetes just from looking at it. It was a little bit like heaven.

Sam ran a hand through his floppy bangs, "Then just these." He slid a bag of chocolate covered pretzels onto the counter, "Any idea when it'll be in?"

"Well, the delivery guy has been a total dick to me ever since I told his wife he was having an affair..." Gabriel scanned the pretzels and handed them back to Sam, "So he'll probably drop them off at six in the morning in the hope that they'll be stolen by some rogue jogger. Two bucks, kiddo."

Sam laughed, "You need to stop with that whole 'justice for all' thing; you're not Batman," He handed Gabriel two crumpled singles.

"But Sam," Gabriel whispered, "I am Batman."

"See you later Gabe," Sam waved as he exited the store.

"Wow, you're pathetic." Pamela said sympathetically as she returned to the register.

"Pretty much, thank God I'm so devastatingly handsome or I might not be able to cope."

* * *

Gabriel loved his job. That was why he called the store Playground; he got to spend every day dealing with his kind of people, gamers and sugar junkies. Despite having the best job ever, Gabriel found himself in a bit of a funk and it was getting more and more difficult to hide it from Pamela, the perceptive shrew.

It was stupid really, just because Gabriel sort of had a thing for him, didn't mean Sam needed to come in all the time. It had just been a whole month with no sign of the geek. The annoying voice in the back of his head kept saying it was good for him, what with Sam being a heaping helping of jailbait. He ignored it though, with most kids that age, the five year difference felt like millennia, but Sam was different. He was smart, really smart; he could hold deep conversations and actually keep Gabriel on his toes.

He sighed into his Mountain Dew before taking a sip, causing Pamela to look over at him.

"What's the deal? You usually love watching this crap," Pamela nodded toward the episode of _Celebrity Rehab_ on Gabriel's flat screen.

"Yeah… Um" Gabriel mumbled. "I'm gonna crash; the couch is yours as always."

Pamela gave him a look, but let him go to bed.

* * *

Sometimes Gabriel was convinced his life was like some kind of sick Truman Show. This was definitely one of those times. Why else would "Pour Some Sugar on Me" start playing as soon as Sam entered Playground for the first time in over a month?

"Dude, turn that down," Sam bitched over his shoulder at slightly taller guy trailing behind him. Gabriel hated to admit it, but he kind of wanted to kill the guy a hundred times over on sight. He was hot. Dude was working green eyes and freckles like nobody's business. He seemed like the kind of cocky asshole that matched perfectly with Sam's sweetheart attitude and endless patience. In other words, he was the perfect guy for Sam. He also looked about Gabriel's age which was a nice dose of salt to the wound.

Mr. Perfect rolled his eyes, and pulled a massive pair of headphones from around his neck and onto his ears, muffling the song, "Whatever Sammy." He muttered as the candy aisles stole his attention.

Sammy? Yeah, Gabriel was going to have to commit a murder.

"Hey Gabe," Sam grinned, approaching the counter.

"Hey Kiddo, what's with the shadow?" He tried to sound pleasant as he jerked a thumb at Sam's companion.

"Oh, that's my older brother Dean, though he doesn't act like it," Sam crossed his arms.

Gabriel did his best to keep his mental parade from spilling over into the real world, "And who pissed in his Wheaties this morning?"

"Ah, he's just upset I made him walk here. It's only six blocks from home, but he wanted to take his baby," Sam rolled his eyes. "So…" Sam bounced on his heels looking like an overly excited kid on Christmas.

"You couldn't possibly be looking for this, could you?" Gabriel smirked, pulling the expansion pack from a drawer under the counter. He'd been saving it for whenever Sam came back, but he wouldn't consciously admit that.

Sam reached for the case, but Gabriel snatched it out of his reach at the last second. "I'm sorry, what are the magic words?"

Sam sighed, used to the routine, "The Playground is the perfect store, and I wish I didn't need to get an education so I could spend all my time here. I dream of the products sold here and wish I could buy them all, but alas I am just a gawky vagabond," Sam deadpanned. He reached for the game again, only to have Gabriel snatch it away again.

"_And_?" Gabriel asked, his smugness off the charts.

Sam's eyes darted over to brother but he seemed too interested in filling a bag with peach rings to notice Gabriel's antics. Sam tilted his head, his hair falling into his eyes, "Fine. Gabriel Novak is the coolest, most badass shopkeeper there ever was. His ungodly sex appeal makes him God's gift to women and men alike and I hope I can one day become a fraction of the man he is."

Sam's face was starting to redden so Gabriel took pity on him, "You forgot the part about my boundless altruism and perfect ass, but I'll let it slide." He handed Sam the expansion pack.

"How much do I owe you?" He reached in the pocket of his hoodie.

"This one's on the house," Gabriel said nonchalantly, he felt it added to his 'laid back awesome guy' appearance.

"Seriously?" Sam leaned across the countered and crushed Gabriel in a massive bear hug. He smelled like Old Spice and cappuccino.

"Yeah, it's fine. You practically keep me in business anyway. Well, until recently that is." Gabriel tried to casually bring up Sam's recent absences.

"Yeah, I've been busy. College applications… the warden wouldn't let play any video games until I finished all my essays." Sam nodded toward Dean.

"Aren't you a little young for college?" Gabriel was pretty sure he hadn't forgotten Sam's age.

"Well, I skipped a grade in elementary, and I'm in all AP's so… I'm technically a senior." Sam rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Yup, Sammy's always been a nerd." Dean set his bag of candy on the scale as he ruffled Sam's hair.

"$6.49," Gabriel deftly rang up Dean's purchase and gave him his receipt.

"Later Gabe," Sam called behind him as Dean herded him out the store, saying something about cheeseburgers and how they needed to be acquired as soon as possible.

* * *

"You're going to prison. I hope you know that," Pamela stated calmly as she flipped through a copy of _PC Gamer_, "And you better not expect me to go down too, just 'cause you wanna get your Mary Kay Letourneau on. That being said, what are you planning?" She flipped the magazine closed with a grin.

"I'm not planning anything, I was just considering maybe giving him some chocolate if he stops by tomorrow."

"Which happens to be Valentine's Day," Pamela crossed her arms.

"You know I like you better when you don't point out how pitiful I am." Gabriel said as he locked the register for the night.

"I just think you need to get out there," She put a hand on his shoulder, "And maybe get over Kali."

Gabriel tensed, "Hey, I'm over her. It's been months since I've even seen her."

Pamela didn't look even vaguely convinced.

"Pam, seriously, I'm just being nice to the guy. I'm not about to go dating some high school kid."

"Don't even try that shit. All the free shit you give him and painfully obvious flirting." Pamela sighed, "I'm not saying there's anything wrong with an age gap, but he's 16 Gabe. He's hormonal and confused about life in general, let alone some guy hitting on him all the time. You can be as nice as you want, but he isn't your boyfriend. I just don't want you getting put out if he starts dating someone else."

"You think I haven't thought about this already? About how mentally fucked up I must be that my response to getting my heart ripped out is to go all to-catch-a-predator on some poor kid? Because I think about it a lot," he leaned on the counter and took a few deep breaths, "You can go home, I'll finish closing."

Pamela frowned, "All right." She kissed him on the cheek, "Night Gabriel." The bell above the door dinged softly as she left.

* * *

This was a terrible idea.

What the hell had he been thinking? Sam was gonna think he was some psycho creeper who stalked customers or something. Okay, he needed to calm down. Friends gave each other stuff all the time, right? Did guy friends do that? Gabriel didn't have too many close friends besides Pamela and his cousin Castiel, but he was family so that didn't count.

Wow, he needed to get out of the store more often.

It had been busy all day, apparently nerds did have girlfriends and they really like chocolate. Gabriel just wanted this stupid holiday to be over so he could eat all the left over stock and watch reruns of _Flavor of Love_.

Yeah, he definitely needed to get out more.

He avoided the urge to bang his head into the wall as he rang up the eleventh box of candy hearts that day. There was a reason he preferred Halloween.

"Busy day, huh?" Sam smiled and leaned on the cooler next to the counter.

"You have no idea," Gabriel rubbed his eyes, "I actually have to work."

"Where's Pam?"

"Gave her the day off, can't punish her for having a love life. What about you? Here to get something for a lovely lady?" Gabriel wagged his eyebrows.

Sam blushed and shook his head, "No, I don't, um, I'm not… I'm single."

"Well, in that case," Gabriel pulled a small box from his drawer and tossed it to Sam who caught it easily, "Happy Jellyfish Day."

Sam raised an eyebrow, "Jellyfish Day?"

"Yeah, on February fourteenth single people get together to scoff at love and support the jellyfish of course." Gabriel informed him.

Sam smirked, "Me and Dean like to call it 'Unattached Drifter Christmas'. We used to move around a lot with our dad and well, there's a reason it's Dean's favorite holiday."

Gabriel laughed, "So I take it you're the classy brother."

Sam shrugged, "That's one way of putting it. Dean thinks I'm a wet blanket."

"That is the first time I've heard someone under 30 say 'wet blanket', I'm a little confused as to how to keep this conversation going."

"Shut up." Sam ate one of the chocolates in an incredibly bitchy manner.

Gabriel ruffled Sam's hair, "I'm just messin' with you Kiddo. I'm sure you're super hip, right? You been gettin' stupid fresh with all the dope homies at school?"

"Not funny," Sam said, although he was cracking a smile.

"What? You aren't busting mad moves with the fly hunnies at those bomb diggity house parties all the kids are throwing?"

Sam couldn't hold out any longer and burst into peals of laughter, "You sound like MC Hammer."

"I'm surprised you even know who that is."

"Hey, I'm turning 17 in May." Sam said as if it made all the difference.

"Talk to me when you can get into strip clubs." Gabriel said quickly ringing out a short teen that approached the counter.

"I swear to God, if you bring up the Spearmint Rhino one more time I'm choking you."

"Easy tiger, I only do S&M on weekends." Gabriel winked.

Sam blinked.

"Relax, I'm kidding." Gabriel lowered his voice, "It's not just weekends."

"You make me ridiculously uncomfortable sometimes." Sam shook his head and ate another chocolate.

"Not enough that you stop accepting free food." Gabriel checked out another customer.

"You know I could stay home for this kind of abuse." Sam presented Gabriel with a flawless bitch face.

"Your face'll freeze like that." Gabriel patted Sam on the cheek, "How about you do some work instead of loitering? Twenty bucks in it for you."

"What do you need?" Sam wiped his hand on his jeans and looked around like some eager puppy.

Sam was efficient and quick and Gabriel briefly entertained the idea of trading Pam in. The kid could lift a box like it was nothing, which was weird because Gabriel was pretty sure geeks weren't allowed to be in shape.

"All right Kiddo, closing time, you're free to go." Gabriel hopped off the counter and pulled out his wallet, "I swear, you are one great rack away from completely replacing Pam." He handed Sam a twenty.

"Then I think she'll be keeping her job." Sam tucked the bill into his pocket.

"Aw, c'mon, you got the hips to pull it off."

"I don't know what's more disturbing, us discussing me with boobs, or you studying my hips." Sam looked like he was honestly weighing the two in his head.

"You should be so lucky." Gabriel swatted Sam on the arm, "You're too short for me anyway."

Sam looked offended, "We're the same height!"

"Exactly," Gabriel cocked his head, "Who would change the light bulbs?"

"Well, that's what step stools are for." Sam leaned against the counter so he was shoulder to shoulder with Gabriel, "Or are you too cool to keep one around?"

"So you think I'm cool?" Gabriel smirked.

"God, you only hear half of what I say don't you?" Sam rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I think you're pretty cool."

"Why?" At the look Sam gave him Gabriel sighed, "I'm not fishing for compliments, I'm actually curious. In case you hadn't noticed I'm kind of a dick."

"Well, yeah," Sam agreed, "But that's why you're cool. You don't sugarcoat anything."

Gabriel snickered, "Pun intended?"

"Shut up, I'm being serious. You don't care what anyone thinks… you aren't trying to live up to stupid unrealistic expectations or trying to be like anyone else." Sam ran a hand through his hair.

"Why would you want be like anyone else?"

"You didn't grow up with Dean, he's cool, confident, everything our dad wanted him to be." Sam shrugged, "Who wouldn't want to be like that?"

"Dude, you're kind of a super genius, and one of the nicest people I know. Do you really wanna walk around with your collar popped like a total douche?"

Sam smiled, "I guess not."

"Atta boy," Gabriel threw an arm around Sam, "So how about you don't pull anymore of this pity party crap? I can't afford to keep having these touchy-feely conversations. I do have a reputation to uphold."

"Dude, we're kind of pathetic." Sam turned to Gabriel, "It's Valentine's Day and we're sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves. I feel like an episode of _Sex and the City_."

"Speak for yourself." Gabriel faced Sam, "We're much more _Will and Grace_. Of course you'd be Grace."

Sam laughed and Gabriel could feel it on his own lips, "Oh come one, we're at least Bert and Ernie." His voice was low.

Gabriel found himself matching Sam's tone, "I do like to eat cookies in bed."

This was bad. This was worse than bad, but it wasn't Gabriel's fault because Sam was leaning in too and making those damn _eyes _at him.

Gabriel pulled back, "I should… close up." He went behind the counter to lock the register, "I'll see you later Sam." He didn't look up.

"I got into Stanford." Gabriel looked up to where Sam was, halfway between him and the door, "Full ride."

"That… that's amazing Kiddo. You're gonna knock 'em dead."

Sam shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded, "Well, I guess I'll see you around Gabe."

Sam didn't come back after that. Gabriel figured he spent the spring and summer doing whatever it is weirdo egghead prodigies do before going to college a year early.

It was probably for the best.


	2. Part II

Playground had never been intended to support Gabriel financially. It was meant to be a side project just so he didn't feel useless. He didn't like the idea of being one of those spoiled rich kids that relied on their trust funds to get by. He opened the place up after two years of community college and somehow it all worked out in the end. Five years later and his baby was a minor success.

Gabriel heard the door open but didn't acknowledge it, they'd make it to the register when they were ready and his game of spider solitaire was more important right now.

"Wow, this place hasn't changed at all."

Gabriel did look up at that and holy hell. This guy looked like he just escaped the Abercrombie ranch—if they had a big and tall section.

"Hey Gabe," Abercrombie smiled in a way that felt uncomfortably familiar, "Long time no see."

Gabriel raised an eyebrow, "I'm sorry Bullwinkle, do I know you?"

Abercrombie's face fell, "I guess you don't remember me. I, uh, used to come here all time when I was in high school."

Jesus Fucking Christ.

"_Sam_?" Gabriel ran a hand through his hair. This was great. Kid doesn't show his face for years and when he finally does he's a goddamn supermodel.

Sam shrugged, "Hey."

Gabriel walked from behind the counter to look Sam up and down, mostly up because damn, he got tall. "Yeah, because it totally hasn't been years since I've seen you," He went to the cooler he kept stocked with the best and most eclectic varieties of soda he could find. Deciding to go classic he pulled out two Cokes. He handed one to Sam and leaned on the counter, "So how's Stanford?"

"Good, I just graduated. Decided to come back home for a while." he turned his unopened coke around in his massive hand, "I need to save up for grad school actually, can't expect a full ride twice. Plus I needed a break."

"So, you're living with your brother again?"

"Yeah, I just feel like a dick, with how hard he's been working to help me with school."

"Well he's kind of a dick himself, so it evens out."

Sam laughed; Gabriel forgot how much he liked making Sam laugh.

"You guys still down the street?" Gabriel asked, hoping to see more of Sam in spite of himself.

"No, Dean moved into a smaller place when I went to school, so I get the pull out couch."

Gabriel winced, "I feel for you, Kiddo."

"Come on, you can't still call me that." Sam pulled the same exasperated face that was his trademark at 16.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were all grown up now," Gabriel smirked like he would when he was 21.

"Shut up. How's Pam?" Sam finally opened his soda and drank.

"She's still around, I mean she doesn't work here anymore, but she's around." Gabriel shrugged, he missed Pamela but she was carping her diem or whatever, "My little cousin fills in for me when I need it, so it's not so bad."

Sam paused before he took another sip, "Is it weird I imagined you not having family?"

"What, like I congealed in a gutter somewhere? Or like they disowned me?"

Sam shrugged.

"Well, I wouldn't say they _disowned_ me per say, but I'm not exactly invited to Christmas dinner." Gabriel lifted himself up to sit on the counter, he didn't like talking with Sam so much taller than him, "The 'rents are super religious, hence the whole angel naming thing," he twirled his finger in a circle over his head, as if it were a halo, "Anyway, when they realized I was interested in Mark's as well as Mary's things got a bit strained."

Sam blinked, "They didn't like, kick you out did they?"

Gabriel smirked, "Like I'd give them the satisfaction. I moved out, everyone was always fighting anyway. Fucking madhouse." He scrubbed his face with his hand, "But uh, my cousin, Cas, he helps me out when I need it. Does all that accounting stuff I don't feel like doing."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you bring that up." Sam frowned.

Gabriel shook his head, "Hey, no big. So you gonna tell me about all the hot debauchery you engaged in during college?"

Sam's expression darkened, "I, uh, it was good."

That was odd, "What happened, Kiddo?"

Sam leaned back on the counter and for a minute it felt Gabriel had stepped back in time four years. "I met a girl." Sam bit his lip, "Ruby. She was a, uh, psych major and we really hit it off. Started dating, I moved in with her and it was all amazing."

"But?" Gabriel offered, knowing something was coming.

"But, she got bored, or fell out of love or what the hell ever. That's about when I walked in on her and my friends Brady. She told me we were through and kicked me out. I ended up staying with my this guy Andy from my chem class." Sam's shoulders dropped.

Gabriel was struck with the sudden urge to cut brake lines and pour Nair in shampoo bottles. "Am I allowed to call her a two-faced conniving hell bitch?"

"I'd rather you didn't," Sam frowned, "Wound's still pretty fresh."

"Well you can't stop me from thinking it."

Sam smiled at that, "I think I'm mostly over her, she was just my first real _thing_, you know?"

"_Really_?" That one took Gabriel by surprise.

"What?"

"How do I put this," Gabriel tapped his chin, "You're built like a brick shithouse, Kiddo. Theoretically you should have the babes lining up."

Sam looked himself over, tugging at his light blue flannel shirt, "I guess. I don't know, I've never really felt that way. I guess I've always been shy."

"Lemme guess, you were a fat kid."

Sam sputtered into his coke, "I wasn't _fat_. I was just chubby."

Gabriel laughed, "I knew it, the only time people are hot _and_ nice is when they used to be fat."

"So you used to be fat too?" Sam looked him over like he was trying to picture it.

Rather than mention that Sam just called him hot, Gabriel decided he'd savor the moment quietly, "My metabolism didn't kick in until ninth grade, before that things were very… round." Gabriel shook his head, "Dude, I thought we agreed we were not having any more of this warm fuzzy crap. Quick, talk about football."

"How 'bout those…" Sam frowned, "The Giants are football right?"

"Christ, you are such a nerd." Gabriel ruffled Sam's hair. "Don't ever change."

"You either." Sam hauled himself up from the counter; "Well I should shag ass before─" Sam was cut off by a crack of thunder, "Before it rains." He sighed.

"I'll give you a ride home, if you don't mind sticking around for a few."

Sam and Gabriel spent the next hour catching up on all they had missed while Sam was away and Gabriel wasn't. Apparently Sam didn't understand the point of college and spent all his time actually getting an education and Gabriel spent his being generally uninteresting business-like. Only a few customers came in from the rain so Gabriel closed up early.

"Crap," Gabriel muttered, "I left my keys upstairs. Come on." Gabriel led Sam out the back of the store and up the staircase to his apartment. "They're in my bedroom, make yourself at home." He waved over his shoulder as he went to search his room for his car keys. He grabbed the keys out of pocket of his jeans he'd left on floor the night before.

He walked back in the living room to see Sam siting on the floor, getting tongued down by his dog.

"You two want a minute alone?" He asked, the dog looking up and trotting over to him. "You cheating on me? Huh, Marsha?" He scooped the pudgy dog up into his arms and nuzzled it.

"Marsha?"

"Oh come on, the Brady Bunch jokes are endless." He rescued the small energetic mutt from the pound some months ago and they'd been inseparable since.

"Right," Sam didn't look convinced.

Gabriel set Marsha down on his black leather couch, "Ready?"

Sam nodded, looking around, "You're apartment's really nice," he said it like he expected Gabriel to live in a crack house. His apartment wasn't that big, but the ceilings were ridiculously his so it gave the illusion of space. The décor was all sleek blacks and cool whites, which was as elaborate as Gabriel was willing to get.

Gabriel shrugged, "Thank God for trust funds."

Sam directed Gabriel towards his and Dean's house; it was a small place not too far from the bar Sam said Dean worked at.

Gabriel double parked next to a classic-looking black Chevy. "So, what are you gonna be doing now that you're home?"

"Look for work I guess, hopefully I can find something." Sam's mouth twisted.

Gabriel got an idea. He considered himself a masochist for it, but went ahead anyway.

"You wanna job?" He offered.

"At Playground?"

Gabriel rolled his eyes, "No, at the strip club." He said sarcastically, "Yes, at Playground. I could start you at… seven-fifty an hour, Five or six days a week?"

Sam's face lit up, "Really?"

"Yeah, my cousin helps out but, he's not exactly accustomed to life among us humans yet. He tends to scare off customers." Gabriel loved Cas, but the poor guy was a social train wreck.

"Sweet," Sam grinned and Gabriel was reminded why he liked the guy so much.

"You start Monday at nine."

* * *

Gabriel needed a drink.

Or maybe cheesecake, he didn't really care as long as it kept him occupied. He tried calling Pamela but she didn't answer, so he sent her the least frantic text he could manage. After an hour of flipping through channels, his phone vibrated on the coffee table, playing Daft Punk's _One More Time_.

"Hey Pam," Gabriel answered, heading over to refrigerator.

"Don't you 'hey Pam' me. What's wrong?" One of the reason's Gabriel loved Pamela was her inability to beat around any bushes.

"Sam's back."

"Jailbait Sam?" Pamela asked. "Why?"

"He said he graduated and decided to move back home."

"What is he, like, 20, 21 now?"

"Something like that." He pulled a half empty Ziploc of break and bake snickerdoodles out onto the counter. "He got tall."

"By tall do you mean super-duper-fuckable?"

"Essentially," He preheated the oven and rummaged through the cabinets for a cookie sheet.

"Well, let's see, 25 divided by two is 12 and a half, plus seven is 19 and a half. That means makes Sam fair game."

"Dude, you did not just math at me," He slid the cookie sheet into the oven, setting the timer. "So, you think I should go for it?"

"Hell yeah."

"But how do I know if he's even playing for my team?" Gabriel opened a bottle of Bailey's and pour himself a tall glass.

"That kid was into you at 16, he's probably still into you at 20. Have I been wrong before?"

She had a point; Pamela's gay-dar was probably the best in the state. The first time she met Castiel she told him he should come out of the closet. It was kind of freaky.

"Wish me luck?" he asked.

"Please, like you need it."

* * *

Gabriel turned to face his cousin, "How's it looking?"

"Everything seems to be in order." Castiel didn't spare him a glance; he sat on the floor behind the counter tapping away on his laptop. "You've managed another month without going bankrupt, congratulations."

"All thanks to you little cuz," Gabriel patted Castiel's head, mussing his already messy black hair.

"I would appreciate you not calling me that," Castiel muttered.

"God, you are such bummer, dude." Gabriel crossed his arms, "Put your boyfriend away and go grab a broom."

Castiel gave a labored sigh, but obliged, heading into the back room.

Gabriel smiled. Weird as he was; Cas was possibly Gabriel's favorite person. The kid's life was one big awkward phase, but he never let it get him down. He'd faced a lot of shit in high school; bullies were drawn to the quiet nerdy kid with the funny name and affinity for wearing ties like flies on honey. Castiel was quiet but tough, and Gabriel admired that.

He figured part it was his Uncle's doing. Despite passing on his social inelegance, Chuck was a great dad. Everything Castiel did was amazing to him and nothing was more important to him than his son. Which was probably why he accepted Cas coming out (with much help from Gabriel) with no more than an "Awesome, hey are we out of milk?"

Gabriel was pulled from his sappy family memories by the shop door swinging open, Sam smiling as he entered. Gabriel looked him over, his shirt was clinging to his damp skin and his bangs were plastered to his forehead.

"Why the hell are you so sweaty?" Gabriel asked because yeah, it was pretty gross but he couldn't exactly deny his sudden urge to stock up on Kleenex and hand lotion.

"It's like 90 out." Sam said simply sliding off his backpack and fishing out a dark green T-shirt. He pulled off his sweat stained shirt and wiped his face with it, because apparently God felt like torturing Gabriel a little more that day.

"C'mon, this is like low-budget Kansas porn right now." Gabriel said flatly because hotness aside, all this scene was missing was a visible boom mic.

"Shut up," Sam threw his dirty shirt at Gabriel, who dodged it.

The sight of ink on Sam's skin caught Gabriel's eye, "Oh my God, are you tatted up, Kiddo?" On Sam's left pectoral was a pentacle in the center of a tribal sun.

"Yeah, Dean drove out to Stanford for my eighteenth birthday and we both got them done. It's like a symbol for protection."

"Edgy, I like it." Gabriel smirked.

"Gabriel, he is… very attractive," Castiel's fantastic timing decided to rear its ugly head.

"Thanks?" Sam quickly pulled the clean shirt over his head.

"Sam, this social pariah is my cousin, Castiel." Gabriel sighed.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Castiel shifted the broom from his right hand to his left to shake Sam's hand.

"You too." Sam still looked a little off put by Castiel's wide eyed staring and bluntness.

"He's an acquired taste," Gabriel reassured before setting them both to work.

After showing Sam how to manage the register Gabriel left the store to take Marsha to the vet for a checkup and to run a few other errands he was too afraid to go on had it meant leaving Castiel alone with his unsuspecting clientele.

He arrived back couple hours before close, Marsha trotting in happily behind him. Her tail wagged furiously when she caught sight of Sam and she sprinted over to him.

"Does loyalty mean nothing to you?" Gabriel rolled his eyes and took over behind the counter.

He put Sam on inventory, and had Castiel do restocking; his OCD made him great at organizing merchandise until it was all perfectly aligned on the proper shelves. Gabriel felt oddly like a part of a well-oiled machine, it was kind of nice.

"We're closed." Gabriel called over his shoulder two hours later, when he heard someone enter the shop.

"Yeah, I'm just here for Sammy." A deep voice grumbled.

Gabriel turned to face Dean, who he vaguely remembered dropping off Sam a few times when he was still in high school. "Dean-O," He grinned, "How goes it?"

Dean raised an eyebrow, "Fine? Where's Sam?"

"Cas, go tell Gigantor his brother's here would ya?" He looked over at his cousin who was standing stock still between the gummy bears and licorice. His face was beet red, his blue eyes staring intently at Dean. "_Castiel?"_ Gabriel called again.

Castiel's head snapped toward Gabriel before he nodded vigorously and all but sprinted into the stock room.

Well that was just precious.

"Don't mind him, he's a Martian." Gabriel did his best not to laugh at Dean's utterly confused expression.

Sam came out the back room a moment later with Cas practically hiding behind him. "Sam time tomorrow Gabe?"

Gabriel gave him a nod, "You betcha, Kiddo."

"Cool, bye Castiel." Sam waved at Cas who managed a stiff armed wave back.

"What was that about?" Gabriel asked batting his eyes, once the brothers were gone.

Castiel looked at him like he was dumber than a box of wet hair, "Don't ask stupid questions."

From there a routine developed, Sam and Gabriel managing the shop; Gabriel cracking jokes and Sam trying in vain to maintain a serious work environment. Castiel would come in to help out on busy days, and stopping by around close on his days off to stare creepily at Dean when he came to pick Sam up.

Gabriel wasn't one to usually think about the sort of thing, but he knew he was happier than he had been in a desperately long time.

* * *

"Gabriel? You up here?"

Wincing at the noise Gabriel forced his head from under the warmth of the blankets covering him. Sam was standing in his doorway making some stupid face at him that it was definitely too early for.

"What the hell are you doing in my apartment?" Gabriel croaked out.

"You were supposed to open the store an hour ago."

"I must have slept through my alarm." Gabriel pressed his palm to his forehead to alleviate the headache that was already throbbing. "But again, how the hell did you get in here?"

Sam scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, "Well, you didn't answer your cell or the door and I was worried so I kinda… picked the lock." Some guard dog he had, Marsha probably slobbered all over the would-be intruder.

"You broke into my house because I didn't answer my phone? I don't know whether to be flattered or creeped out." Gabriel flopped back onto the bed. He felt like five pounds of shit in a two pound bag and it wasn't getting any better.

"Are you okay?" Sam's giant footsteps came closer.

"I dunno House, what do you think?" Gabriel pulled the blanket back over his head, "Don't bother opening the shop, I don't trust you by yourself."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." He couldn't see Sam but he was pretty sure he was doing that sour face thing again. "I'll be in the living room, just yell if you need me."

Gabriel pulled the cover back down, "Dude, I'm sick not dying."

"I don't trust you by yourself." Sam mocked and headed out of the room.

Falling back asleep proved impossible, his skull was pounding, he was congested and his blankets were way too hot. After an hour he crawled out of bed and decided he could at least get rid of the building pressure in his bladder.

Sam snickered as Gabriel shuffled toward the bathroom.

"What?" He was in no mood to be laughed at by some floppy muppet.

Sam looked pointedly at Gabriel's red satin boxers and then back up at him.

Gabriel glared, "Eat me sasquatch."

When he returned from the bathroom Sam was there waiting with a glass of orange juice and a dopey smile that really shouldn't have made Gabriel's heart speed up the way it did.

"You wanna watch T.V.?"

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep anyway." Gabriel padded over to his couch and flopped down, Marsha nudging him with her nose comfortingly. Sam set the glass of orange juice on the coffee table and covered Gabriel with the throw that Cas made him buy that one horrifying time they decided to try interior decorating. He sat at the other end of the couch and pulled Gabriel's feet into his lap like the two of them sitting there was the most normal thing in the world.

Gabriel didn't think he'd mind if it was.

When Gabriel awoke from a nap he didn't remember drifting off into, he saw Sam staring intently at an episode of _Dr. Sexy MD, _Marsha resting at his feet_._ His hand was absently stoking Gabriel's calf as he mouthed occasional commentary. How in the hell was this the same dorky kid that used to weasel free games out of him with puppy eyes? He was still a dork, his emotional investment in hospital dramas was proof enough of that, but at the same time he seemed so much older.

Heartbreak could do that to a person.

The idea of someone hurting Sam made Gabriel's skin itch with anger. Sam was about as malicious as stationery. He was honest and genuine without being an annoying douche and Gabriel loved that about him.

"Oh, God."

Sam's turned to him, "What's wrong?"

_Oh nothing, just realizing I'm falling for some giant idiot who's too stupid to ever realize ._

"Um, just didn't peg you for a Dr. Piccolo fanboy." Gabriel lied easier than breathing.

"I'm gonna let that slide because you're sick."

"You don't have to stay; I can get Cas to come over." Gabriel said despite desperately wanting Sam to stay right where he was."

"Dude, it's no problem," Sam squeezed his leg, "Now shut up, Dr. Piccolo's about to confess her love."


	3. Part III

Castiel sighed at Gabriel from the other end of the couch, "I'm sorry." He picked up the remote and paused _Zoolander_, "I was under the impression you enjoyed this film."

Gabriel raised an eyebrow at his cousin, "What? I love this movie." Though Gabriel honestly couldn't say what part they were at.

Seeing right through his bullshit, like he always did, Castiel's brow furrowed, "You seem troubled. Is it about Sam?"

Castiel always did pick the most annoying moments to remember he was human and get silly things like intuition.

"I think I might be sort of… falling for him." Gabriel pulled a pillow to his chest, feeling way too much like a chick flick.

Castiel tilted his head, looking genuinely confused, "I don't understand why this is a problem."

"It's a problem because he isn't interested in me."

The smile Gabriel received was totally taken out of his own handbook, "That's never been an issue for you before." Okay, Gabriel was going to have to stop teaching Cas all his tricks if he was just going to use them on him.

"I haven't exactly been in this situation before." Which might have been the understatement of Gabriel's life, because how often could anyone say they were in love with the guy they almost went pedobear on, now that he was legal?

"What about Kali?" Castiel approached that sensitive topic with all the subtlety of a demolition crew.

"Think twice Castiel." Gabriel warned.

"Ever since your relationship with her you have been," Castiel licked his lips, searching for the words he wanted to use, "An emotionally constipated ass. Sam makes you happy, Gabriel. I think you should express your feelings to him. After all, I've never known you as one for hesitation."

Gabriel chucked his pillow across the couch at Cas, "You suck when you're right."

"You're immature when you're wrong." Castiel smiled with his teeth this time.

"Speaking of super cute boys asking us to the spring formal," Gabriel raised his eyebrows, "How's your boyfriend?"

"I don't have a boyfriend." Cas uncrossed his legs and reached for his Diet Coke.

"But you _want_ one." Gabriel sing-songed, relishing in being able to tease Cas for the first time since high school. "You _love_ him, you wanna _hug_ him."

"I am not in love with Dean." Castiel said resolutely.

"I never said Dean." Gabriel figured he should stop jerking Cas around and actually help him out lest he die alone and almost a virgin. "Seriously though, have you even talked to him?"

"In a manner of speaking… No." Castiel's rested his elbows on his knees, staring blankly at Ben Stiller's static face, "I'm not very good at this." He looked at his cousin, "I like him, Gabriel, and I don't even know why. It's completely ridiculous."

"Welcome to earth, Mr. Spock." He leaned over and slung an arm around Castiel's shoulder, "Now can we please get back to the blue steel?"

Castiel didn't blink as he hit play, "I prefer magnum."

* * *

When he was in high school, Gabriel impaled the principal's car on the flag pole. The asshole made a pass at this poor sophomore girl and Gabriel had never been one to sit idly by. So, after weeks of planning, researching and calling in every favor he could (not to mention some less than honorable events in the boiler room) he had been as ready as he would ever be.

Running the risk of expulsion or dismemberment by a Lexus had been the most nerve wracking moment of his life.

This was about to tie for first.

He figured letting Sam know he wanted him daily, nightly, and ever so rightly couldn't be too bad, it always worked out fine in movies and shitty pop songs. He'd just make a move and let Sam take it from there.

So, of course it all went to shit.

Theoretically, loosening Sam up with booze after work on Saturday was the perfect start to making a move. Of course, Gabriel hadn't taken into account the possibility of Sam being an emotional drunk.

"─And he works so fuckin' hard man, and I don't even say thanks." Sam had been going on for the past twenty minutes about how he didn't deserve a brother like Dean. It would have been cute if Sam's giant ass head wasn't on Gabriel's shoulder, making his arm slowly go numb.

"All right Stretch," Gabriel eased from under Sam, and went to his pantry, "I'm not one for all this _Dawson's Creek_ feelings shit, but I do know there are few problems that can't be fixed by cake." He figured health nut tendencies could abide a slice of carrot cake.

Apparently, giving someone cake after a case of Corona wasn't the best of plans, Gabriel discovered as Sam leaned over his toilet bowl, getting intimately acquainted with the plumbing. When he was finished, Gabriel laid the behemoth down on his bed, the couch being significantly less than Sam-sized. He pulled off Sam's sneakers, glancing at the tag on the tongue.

"Size 14, seriously? God is so testing me right now." Gabriel muttered at the shoe currently dwarfing his hand.

Sam grumbled out what sounded like an apology into Gabriel's pillows.

"Don't worry about it, Magilla." Gabriel hopped onto the bed and laid down next to Sam, "You're just lucky I like you." He ruffled Sam's mop of hair. "This is honestly not how I expected this evening to go, why's it always easier on TV?"

Sam rolled onto his side to face Gabriel, "what's easier?"

"Oh, you know, dashing, witty lead gets the tall, dorky and handsome love interest that can't pick up on five years' worth of hints." He winked, "Then there's the wedding episode."

"Shut up," Sam muttered and shifted forward and kissed him.

It was hot and awkward but also very Sam-like so it was decidedly amazing.

"Dude. Awesome." He blurted out when Sam finally detached himself from his mouth.

Sam gave a pleased grunt in agreement before he buried his nose in Gabriel's hair and pulling him closer.

Falling asleep in the arms of someone he actually cared about after such a long time was almost pleasant enough to make up for waking up alone afterward.

But not quite.

If Gabriel said this was the first Sunday he spent alone in bed with a bottle of Bailey's and a pan of brownies just because someone hurt his _feelings_, he'd be a damn liar. Then again, lying was always one of his better skills.

* * *

Despite all Gabriel's fantasizing towards the contrary, Monday came, but luckily with no sign of Sam.

"I don't understand what went wrong." Castiel muttered after Gabriel had informed him just how well his weekend went.

"You're tellin' me." Gabriel said as he slid a box cutter along the seam of a shipment of Junior Mints with perhaps more force than necessary.

"If he was uninterested in your advances, why would he kiss you?" Castiel frowned at the boxes of Sno-Caps he was meticulously lining up on the shelf.

"Fuck if I know, dude." Gabriel sighed, "Am I allowed to blame you for this?"

"Not if you want your taxes done for free."

"Well then you got any advice for me wise one?" Gabriel stood and crossed his arms.

"Talk to him, and if he is truly against a romantic relationship, attempt to salvage your friendship with him. Sam seems understanding; I doubt he would put both his job and his friendship in jeopardy over something like this."

"From the mouths of babes," Gabriel ruffled Castiel's already messy hair.

"I'm 22, I am no babe." Castiel said, doing his little voice of God thing, which at this point was only more endearing to Gabriel.

"Psh, you're a total babe Cassy. Least, that's what all the boys say." Gabriel nudged Castiel in the rib.

"I assume you're using colloquialisms again, so I'm going to ignore you." He gave Gabriel his back and continued shelving candy.

"Finally, he's learning."

* * *

Sam actually showed up Tuesday, but doesn't say a word to him, which was just fine in Gabriel's book. He didn't need some moody lumberjack and his epic gay panic or what the fuck ever was going on.

Seriously, Gabriel's lying was approaching an art form at this point.

"You need me to put out the new 360 controllers?" Sam finally spoke an hour before closing.

"Cas did that yesterday." Gabriel tried not to sound bitter but he'd been having quite a week.

"Uh, sorry about that." Sam still doesn't look at him.

"About what? Not showing up for work without even bothering to call in, or getting drunk at my apartment and then leaving in the morning without so much as a 'goodbye' or a 'fuck you asshole'?" Gabriel crossed his arms.

"Both?" Sam shrugged, "I've just been, I dunno… confused?" He finally looked at Gabriel with big pathetic doe eyes and that was it.

"Confused? Oh, no totally I get that. Like when you think you've finally gotten over your obvious crush on a guy, but then he comes back from college and strings you along all over again. Is that the kind of confused we're talking about?" Gabriel put a hand over his heart in mock sympathy. "Or maybe you mean, 'God, this guy's obviously in love with me and even though I've been flirting with him for months I don't know what to do because he has a dick and I'm still sad my girlfriend cheated on me because, gosh, no one's ever had to experience that before' confused. Pam was right; you're too young for me." Gabe walked into the back room toward his apartment.

* * *

Gabriel was hovering between relieved and miserable. It was the kind of mood whiplash that could only be cured by pie.

He was halfway through a frankly sub-par lemon meringue when Castiel walked in and sat next to him on the couch.

"Your door was unlocked."

"Clearly."

"I take it things did not go well." Castiel took Gabriel's fork and stole a bite of pie.

"I guess not. I may have… stormed out before he had a chance to respond." Gabriel admitted.

"He seemed rather disquieted when I arrived." Castiel nodded.

"Did you talk to Dean?" Gabriel asked, eager to change the subject.

Castiel took a forceful scoop of pie rather than answer.

"Yep, we're cursed."

"There is no such thing as curses." Castiel grumbled.

"No, no, trust me. A long, long time ago our ancestors pissed off the universe and now we are forced to be emotionally terrorized by the Winchesters." Gabriel handed over the pie tin, he didn't want it anymore.

"No such thing," Castiel repeated.

Gabriel wasn't convinced.


End file.
